To Bring About A Battle
by Matt Cyr
Summary: Plans are in motion, being driven by one person and his interactions with others. Who made this plan, and who has been chosen to drive the plan? Come to think of it, what is this plan for? To Bring About A Battle, that's what the plan is for. (Rated T because that is the ceiling, it will never go higher than that)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own as much of Harry Potter as you do, unless you are J. K. Rowling, in which case I own a distinct bit less than you do.

Chapter 1

Harry climbed on to the train, trying to push and pull his trunk and cage with him. The twins from the large family, the Weasleys, came up to him and offered him help. He accepted, and they pulled his trunk and cage into the baggage car.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you -?"

"He _is_," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"_Harry Potter,_" chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you in there?"

"Coming, Mom."

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry walked down the hallways, trying to push his hair over his scar. In his short experience in the Wizarding World, people seemed to think all he was was a vessel to carry the scar around. If he made friends, he was determined to do it on his own accord.

Most of the compartments were full, and the people in those that weren't weren't willing to let a scrawny little first year sit in the compartment with them. At last, when he went back to the back of the train, he found a compartment he had previously overlooked. It only had one person in it, so Harry stood outside for a second, studying the person to see if the person would be willing to let him sit in there.

You really couldn't tell the height of the person, due to the large camping backpack he was wearing and the fact he was facing towards the window, looking out onto the station. Harry couldn't tell much from that perspective, so he opened the door.

"Excuse me, may I sit in here?" he asked.

"Sure," the person said, who sounded like a boy about Harry's own age.

Harry sat down in a seat close to the door on the left side of the compartment, facing the window, because he was trying to get as far away from the boy, who he was wary of due to his experiences with Dudley's gang,as possible. He still hadn't turned around from the window, but because of the new vantage point, Harry could tell he was taller than Harry by a great deal, but this was nothing new, as most boys his age were taller than Harry, and even some who were younger. He had his arms crossed, and his head turned down, and it looked like his eyes were closed, at least his left eye was.

The compartment door opened again, and the youngest boy from the Weasleys, Ron, walked in.

"May I sit here?" he asked the strange boy, not noticing Harry.

"Sure," the boy replied in the same tone as when Harry asked.

Ron sat down on the right side by the door, noticing Harry, as he was sitting opposite him, but not registering who he was. The train started to move, and, finally, the boy turned around and faced the two others in the compartment. He was very thin, but not abnormally so, more like athletically so. He had dark brown hair, and blue eyes. His backpack came about a foot over his shoulders, and it started half a foot down his legs. He was wearing a maroon long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans.

"I know you are Ron Weasley," he told Ron. "I saw and heard your family. However, I don't know who you are," he said, indicating Harry with a wave of his hand.

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, raising his bangs above his scar.

"Pleasure to meet the both of you, I'm Matthew Drake, but I'm usually called Matt." He shook hands with both of them, then sat down right by the window on the left side of the compartment. He had to sit on the edge of the seat to compensate for his large backpack.

"What's in your backpack?" Ron asked, pointing.

"Something I have to keep hidden among most people. But, once we get to Hogwarts, I'll probably take it off eventually. Weirder things are in the Wizarding World, at least I think they are," he said in a weird accent.

"Where are you from? You don't sound British," Harry asked.

"I'm not. I am actually from America."

"Why didn't you go to school there, why are you coming to Hogwarts then?" Ron asked.

"That will be divulged in time."

Matt's response had the tone of a dismissal, so Ron and Harry just shrugged at each other and started talking to each other, mainly about Ron's family and Harry's life. When the food cart came by, Harry bought enough food for all three of them, but when he offered some to Matt, Matt just shook his head.

As Ron and Harry talked and ate, Matt fell asleep in the sunlight streaming in the window, so he wasn't awake when a boy came in the door, asking about a toad. Ron and Harry replied no, and the boy left. After he left, the train shifted, simultaneously throwing Matt into shadow and jerking him awake.

Just then, the door to the compartment opened yet again. The boy was back, along with a girl already in her Hogwarts robes. She asked if they had seen a toad, stating that Neville, who was obviously the boy, had lost one. She had a bossy voice, bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"We told you, we haven't seen any-" Harry began, before Matt cut him off.

"I know a way to get your toad back," Matt said. He twisted his arm and a wand fell into his right hand from under his sleeve. He raised it to shoulder level, pointed it toward the door, and said, "_Accio Trevor the Toad."_ A toad came through the door and into Neville's outstretched hand.

"How did you do that? That's fourth year magic. You shouldn't have the power to do it. You shouldn't even know how to do it. Heck, you shouldn't even do magic before we even get to the school the first time."

"I can do it, I know how to do it, I did it. Oh, well. Not your problem." Matt turned around and returned to staring out the window. Neville and the girl, who introduced herself as Hermione Granger,a Muggleborn, sat down in the compartment and briefly fangirled/fanboyed over Harry.

Once more, the door opened, this time with a boy with blond hair, and what seemed to be a permanent sneer, given he had nothing to sneer about, came in, followed by two boys who looked like they had been cross-bred with gorilla DNA or something.

He introduced himself as Draco Malfoy, with his two groupies as Crabbe and Goyle. He sneered at Hermione for being a Muggleborn, Ron for being a Weasley, Neville for almost being a Squib, and Harry for not joining him.

"And who are you?" he rudely asked Matt, who was still facing the window. Matt turned around before introducing himself. "I'm Matthew Drake, but I'm usually called Matt."

"If you hang around with these blood-traitors, Squibs, and Mud- I mean, Muggleborns, you'll turn out badly. I can help you there."

Matt made a show of looking at Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy, then the group already in the compartment. "Where I come from, Draco, people who lead bully squads usually don't turn out well. These kinds of people," he indicated Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Harry. "are the kind that God favors, and therefore watches out for. I'm not trying to be rude, but I have seen what happens to the kind of people who you seem to be, and you don't want that. Sure, I'll be friends with you, but not if I have to ignore the friends I already have."

Draco looked thoughtful, then walked out, followed by his cronies. "We're almost at Hogwarts now," Hermione said. "We probably need to change into our robes." They took turns, Hermione using the compartment to change first, then Harry, Neville, and Ron, then Matt, who asked to change separately from all of them.

They finally reached the station and met Hagrid. He led all the first years to the lake, where they got into boats. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione were in one, and Matt got in the boat with Draco and his cronies. They went around the final bend in the lake and saw Hogwarts for the first time. All were amazed, without exception.

They reached the dock and were led up stairs into the entry hall, where a Professor McGonagall gave them a speech about the different houses and how to act while at Hogwarts. Then, they were led into a small antechamber to await being led into the Great Hall to be Sorted.

AN: I'm American. You might notice in the way I write. Oh, well, I say. It is probably going to stay that way. You don't like it, you don't have to read it.

Finally, don't expect updates too often. I don't know how motivated to write this I will get. This whole thing is a trial, shall we say.

Until the next update, whenever that is, "Onward into the future!"


	2. Chapter 2

AN: _Italics_ are thought. If it is in quotes, it is the one being Sorted. If it isn't in quotes, it is the Sorting Hat.

Disclaimer: I own as much of Harry Potter as you do, unless you are J. K. Rowling, in which case I own a distinct bit less than you do. I also do not own the lines used in here from the Sorcerer's Stone book.

The group of first-years filed into the Great Hall, mainly in a line two or three people wide. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville looked around in amazement, including the ceiling that looked like the sky, although Matt just glanced up, as if he was accustomed to impressive skyscapes. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read it in _Hogwarts, a History_," Hermione said.

The hall was very long, with hundreds of floating candles along the edge of the room, along with a few fireplaces and many tall, glass windows. There were four long tables in the room. They were in two groups, one on either side of the hall, with a large space between the two groups. It was in this space that the first-years stood.

Professor McGonagall brought out a four-legged stool and placed it on the steps at the front of the room, the ones that led to the raised end that had the teacher's table. She put an old, pointed wizard's hat on it, one that had many rips, folds, and patches in it. Suddenly, two folds appeared midway up the point, and a rip opened near the brim, and the hat began to sing.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you,

Where you ought to be.

You might belong to Gryffindor

Where dwell the brave of heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you're a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

With that, the hat's mouth closed and the Great Hall burst into applause. Professor McGonagall opened a scroll and said loudly, "When I call your name, you will come to the front and put on the hat. It will declare your house, and you will go sit at the appropriate table."

With that, she began calling out names. "Hannah Abbot" was first, and was placed into Hufflepuff. "Matthew Ban-" she began before Matt coughed loudly, interrupting her. "Matthew Ban-" she tried again, but Matt coughed again. "Matth-" she tried once more, but Matt didn't let her get as far before he coughed. "I'm sorry, is there a problem, Mr. Ban-" she tried to ask, just before Matt coughed over his last name again.

"Yes, Ms. McGonagall," Matt said. "There is a problem. Remember one of the conditions my parents and I set when we agreed that I would be coming here? And remember when I came a few weeks back to meet the teachers? I'm not using my real last name right now, I'm using the name Drake. You can call me Mr. Drake, but not my real name. Not yet."

Professor McGonagall looked flustered, as she had never had anyone interrupt the Sorting, nor answer her like that. "Very well," she replied, "I will address you as Mr. Drake."

She continued the Sorting with "Susan Bones", who went into Hufflepuff. There was also a "Terry Boot", who went into Ravenclaw, and "Mandy Brocklehurst" was a Ravenclaw as well. "Lavender Brown" became the first Gryffindor, and "Millicent Bulstrode" became a Slytherin. After that, it became a mix of houses until after a few other people, "Matthew Drake" was called.

Matt stepped up to the stool and confidently put on the Sorting Hat. _Hmm, _the Sorting Hat said inside his head, _I see intelligence. _ "_So, Ravenclaw?" _Matt thought. _No, because there is also loyalty, the defining characteristic of Hufflepuff. "Really? I thought that their defining characteristic was that they didn't fit anywhere else, that they were the house of the rejects," _Matt replied. _For some odd reason, most people think that._

_But anyways, back to the Sorting,_ the Sorting Hat said. _You could go into Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Gryffindor. You are also cunning, but not very ambitious. You also are brave, very brave. I am at an impasse here. I cannot sort you alone. Do you have any input to give? "Yes, I want you to put me…."_

Matt took the hat off of his head and turned to Professor Dumbledore. "It says it wants more time to think about me. It said to continue with sorting the rest, and after the rest of the first-years are sorted, it will get back to me."

A murmur went throughout the hall, as this was unheard of. Nobody had ever been so hard to sort that they were put aside until last! Some murmured that, maybe, he couldn't be sorted, so the Hat put him aside to tell him after everyone else.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore said loudly to everyone, "it appears we will have to follow the wisdom of the Sorting Hat and sort the rest before we sort Mr. Drake!"

After a few other people, Hermione was called to be sorted. After some deliberation, the Hat placed her in Gryffindor. The Gryffindor table clapped as she sat down at the end, near the older Weasley siblings.

The sorting continued on, with what seemed to be an even mix of Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Gryffindors. Of the few that Matt knew, Neville was next. When his name was called, he walked to the front and had the Hat placed on his head. After about half a minute, he was put into Gryffindor and sat near Hermione and the other Weasleys.

Draco was the next one sorted from the ones Matt had met. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head, and after a few minutes he was placed in Slytherin. The timing of how long it took him to be sorted seemed to throw him off, as evidenced by his frown on the way to the Slytherin table.

The sorting continued in a normal fashion until Harry Potter's name was called. The Great Hall broke out into whispers that were even louder than when Matt was put aside for last. While Matt couldn't see his face, Harry seemed to not be happy at one point, until he was finally put into Gryffindor.

At this, the Gryffindor table exploded, almost literally, with applause, as Harry took the hat off and walked to sit down next to Hermione and Neville. The two Weasley twins were yelling loudly how they "got Potter!"

Ron Weasley was the last one to be in the regular order of sorting, and he was almost immediately put into Gryffindor with the rest of his family and friends. _"No surprise there,_" Matt thought.

Finally, it was back to Matt. He didn't even put on the Hat, just looked at it and nodded. The Hat seemed to nod back and yelled out, "Matthew Ban- I mean, Matthew Drake is going into the house of GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table applauded, while not as loud as for Harry, still louder than for the others, probably due to the fact he was an oddity in sorting and that meant he was special, Matt realized.

Professor Dumbledore gave a speech about Filch's forbidden items, and that the Forbidden Forest, was surprisingly, forbidden! It seemed that everyone had heard this speech before, as nobody was paying too much attention to it.

However, when he mentioned the third floor corridor, everyone perked up, Matt noticed. "Finally, the right-hand corridor on the third floor is off-limits to all who do not wish to die a painful death. On that cheery note, to bed!" Dumbledore clapped his hands and everyone got up and went to the dormitories.

The first years followed Percy Weasley to the Gryffindor dormitories. They stopped in front of a painting of a…. larger lady wearing pink. "Tell the Fat Lady the password to get into the dormitories," Percy said. "They will change moderately often, so check the bulletin board in the common room for the password. The password for now is 'Caput Draconis'." Matt sniggered at the password, wondering if Dumbledore set it just for him, or something.

They entered the impressive common room, decorated in gold and red, with comfy chairs spread throughout and a fireplace between the two staircases. Percy pointed out the boys' staircase and the girls', then left them and went out the door.

The six first-year boys climbed the staircase to the top of the tower, where a sign on the door said "First Years". They entered the long, rectangular room to find six four poster beds with maroon curtains. There were windows in between each bed and one on the far side of the bed on the far side of the room, with a bedside table below each window for each person. The staircase was on the far right side of the room, looking at the beds.

Seamus claimed the bed closest to them, and consequently the stairs, by running and jumping face first onto it, with his back up. Dean took the one to the left of that, Neville took the one to Dean's left, Harry took the next one, Ron was on Harry's left, and finally, Matt took the one on the far left end.

They all changed into their pajamas, with Matt changing on his bed with the curtains closed, and then went to sleep, most of them dreaming of discovering previously-unknown magical talents the next day, while Matt was dreaming of things very different.

AN: Well, this has worked out pretty well so far, I'd say. However, I have made some freaky discoveries. I started this before I had finished Bones of Makaidos. However, I have recently finished it and begun Song of the Ovulum. I noticed many of the things I randomly chose or made up for this story are similar to the canon. However, that doesn't mean this fits with the canon of Song of the Ovulum. A good rule to follow so far is, "Assume it is noncanon until otherwise specified."

I'm still experimenting with POV, so if it seems skewed right now, that's why.

On another note, I would appreciate it if anyone would like to be my beta. Because when I read it, I might be reading what I meant to say instead of what I actually am saying.

Until next update, whenever that is, "Onward into the future!"


End file.
